Research

Our goal is to improve the understanding of how sea turtles use the beaches and Dominica’s waters. With this knowledge we can better participate in regional conservation agreements and better inform community based turtle watching activities. All of our research is directly tied to a conservation goal.

Migratory Ecosystem Sentinals

Since 2009 DomSeTCO has been conducting satellite tagging of Leatherback Sea Turtles to learn more about their migrations. Understanding large scale migratory movements are critical in identifying important high seas habitat which would otherwise require large oceanographic research ships and months at sea. By understanding what features leatherbacks look for offshore, we can better protect those areas on the high seas. We simply need the turtles to show us the way!

Inter-Island Movements of Hawksbill Sea Turtles

With so many Island Nations in close proximity to each other, understanding the finer scale movements of Sea Turtles is vital to ensuring coordinated protections. Currently we're using a combination of satellite and acoustic telemetry to understand turtle residency within the Soufriere Scotts-Head Marine Reserve informing protected area management and international conservation efforts of this endangered species.